Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;sizzleness cream&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Sizzleness Cream’ characterized by its medium size decorative infloresences with elongated quilled purple/light yellow ray-florets, with a response time of 52 days.

RELATED CULTIVARS

‘Sizzleness Cream’ is related to ‘Sizzleness’ (U.S. Plant patentpending), of which plant it is a color sport.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Sizzleness Cream’ is a product of a breeding and selection programwhich had the objective of finding color mutants of ‘Sizzleness’. Thenew plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivarof chrysanthemum plant that is a natural occurring sport of a parentchrysanthemum named ‘Sizzleness’. A comparison with Parent chrysanthemum‘Sizzleness’ is also made in this application. The new cultivar wasdiscovered as a whole plant mutation in 2002 by Mark Roland Boeder in acontrolled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout, Holland. The firstact of asexual reproduction of ‘Sizzleness Cream’ was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in 2002 inRijsenhout, Holland.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemumbearing medium sized decorative blooms with elongated quilled bicoloredpurple/light yellow ray-florets and a green center.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationChrysanthemum morifolium L. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown in April/May in a greenhouse in RijsenhoutHolland in a photo-periodic controlled crop under conditions generallyused in commercial practice. The greenhouse temperatures during thiscrop were at day-time between 18° C. and 25° C. and at night 20° C.After a long day period of 14 days the photo-periodic response time inthis crop was 52 days. After the long day period to flowering growthretardants were applied 2 to 3 times in an average dose of 2.5gram/liter water. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance orsusceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought resistance. Thisnew variety produces medium sized blooms with quilled purple/lightyellow ray-florets and blooming on the plant for 5 weeks. This newvariety of chrysanthemum has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics throughout successive propagations however the phenotypemay vary significantly with variations in environment such as lightintensity and temperature. To show the phenotype as described‘Sizzleness Cream’ can be planted without assimilation lightning (highpressure sodium lamps) between week 1 and week 35 year under greenhouseconditions in Holland. With assimilation light (minimum level 2500 lux)it can be planted year round under greenhouse conditions in Holland.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarsin comparison to ‘Sizzleness Cream’ is the parent ‘Sizzleness’, and‘Sizzleness Yellow. When ‘Sizzleness Cream’, ‘Sizzleness Yellow’ and‘Sizzleness’ are being compared the following differences andsimilarities are noticed: The difference of ‘Sizzleness’, and its sports‘Sizzleness Cream’ and ‘Sizzleness Yellow’ is (1) Color ray florets. Thecolor is for ‘Sizzleness’ purple and cream, while it is purple andbright yellow for ‘Sizzleness Yellow’ and purple and light yellow for‘Sizzleness Cream’. For which characteristics ‘Sizzleness Cream’ hasbeen selected out of ‘Sizzleness’. All other characteristics of‘Sizzleness’ and ‘Sizzleness Cream’ are similar.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Sizzleness Cream’ as a new and distinct variety. The colordesignations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart,edition 1995. TABLE 1 Botanical Description of cultivar ‘SizzlenessCream’ Bud Size Medium, cross-section 0.6 cm, height 0.6 cm Outsidecolor Yellow-green 145B Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3mm Involucral bracts among disc-florets Not present Involucral bractscolor Green 138B Inflorescence Type Decorative Height 3 cm Size MediumFully Expanded 6 cm Peduncle lenght Near the top 7 cm, near the middle10 cm, near the bottom 15 cm. Peduncle color Green 138B Number ofinflorescences per stem Average of 20 Performance on the plant 5 weeksSeeds (if crossed) Produced in small quantities, oval shaped, grey-brown199A, 2 mm in length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum Color Center ofthe flower Immature Yellow-green 149B Mature Yellow-green 154C Color ofthe ray-florets Upper surface Greyed-red 182C blending to Yellow 4B atedges Lower surface Grey- ed-red 182D blending to Yellow 4B at edgesTonality from Distance A spray mum with purple/ light yellow flowers anda green disc Color of the upper surface of the Greyed-red 182C and rayflorets after aging of the plant Yellow 4B at edges Ray florets TextureUpper and under side smooth Number 100 Shape Elongated quilledLongitudinal axis of majority Straight Length of corolla tube Long; 2 cmRay-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 2.5 cm Ray-floret width 0.2cm Ratio length/width High Shape of tip Rounded Disc florets Discdiameter 0.8 cm Distribution of disc florets Few, only visible in maturestage of flowering. Shape Tubular Color Yellow-green 154C Receptacleshape Domed raised Reproductive Organs Stamen (present in disc floretsonly) Thin Stamen color Yellow-green 144 B Pollen Produced in smallquantity Pollen color Yellow-orange 14 A Styles (present in both ray anddisc Thick florets) Style color Yellow-green 150C Style Length 4 mmStigma color Yellow-green 145 D Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed inperianth Plant Form A spray mum meant for erect culture Growth habitUpright Growth rate Medium vigor Height 90 cm Width 28 cm Internodelenght 2-3.5 cm Spray formation Cylindrical Stem Color Yellow-green 148Awith streaks of Greyed-red 182C at base Stem Strength Strong StemBrittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Present FloweringResponse(photo-periodic 52 Days controlled crop, not natural season)Foliage Color immature stage Upper side Green 141B Under side Green 139CColor mature stage Upper side Green 137A Under side Green 138A Colormidvein Upper side Yellow-green 145C Under side Yellow-green 148C SizeMedium; length 11-13 cm, width 6 cm Quantity (number per single stem)26-30 Shape Elliptic Texture upper side Fleshy and glabrous Textureunder side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the marginDentate Shape of Base of Sinus Between Diverging Lateral Lobes Margin ofSinus Between Lateral Rounded Lobes Shape of Base Obtuse to truncateApex Mucronulate Petiole length 2 cm Petiole color Yellow-green 145C

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison Varieties ‘Sizzleness‘Sizzleness Cream’ Yellow’ ‘Sizzleness’ Color upper Greyed-redGreyed-red Purple-violet side ray 182C and Yellow 182B and Yellow 80Cand Yellow florets 4B at edges 10A at edges 4D at edges Color lowerGreyed-red Greyed-red Purple-violet side ray 182D and Yellow 182C and80D and Yellow florets 4B at edges Greyed-yellow !60B 4D at edges atedges

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described andillustrated.